1. It’ s all about the helmet. Of course the most important piece of safety equipment is a helmet. Head injuries are the real deal, and so wearing a helmet is even the law in many states. But even if it isn’ t, you should get ahead of it. There are a number of children’ s helmets on the market with fun colors and designs that kids will be more apt to wear.( Ours fight over theirs, ha.) Find the right fit and strap it on!
2. Protect elbows, knees, and hands. It may sound obvious, but these are always the first to hit the ground when a child falls. Pads for the elbows, knees, and hands are available as easy slip-ons and can be kept in a school backpack, desk, or locker when not in use. And yes, we are totally aware that there is one more area that often hits the ground, but that side comes with its own padding. Actual padding may vary. Let’ s just say us moms have a little more of it.
3. It’ s gotta be the shoes. Shoes aren’ t just about fashion, they also protect feet from stray wheels and any number of random things on the ground that could poke, cut, or tickle the toes of your scooting child. The best shoes to wear while riding a scooter are closed-toed, thick in the sole, and should have some support in the ankle. If the shoes also happen to look really awesome, well, that’ s just a bonus. It’ s amazing how many kids we see scooting in flip-flops, flimsy sandals, and the ubiquitous plastic shoes which shall not be named.